Solomon Islands provisional squadlist for Pacific Games: Fa’arodo is back?

Recently the football fans of Solomon Islands got excited about the possibility of the football legend Henry Fa’arodo to return to action with the national team – some were happy and some were not with the possibilites. Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) issued a list of players for a provisional squad heading for the Pacific Games to be played this November in Honiara.

The list counted on a vast number of players, including the 40-year-old football legend Fa’arodo. Would the star player finish his international career in a ‘last dance’ at home for his national team? This is something we are far from being sure.

“Henry told me that he would like to play one more time, he is a Solomon Islander and he is playing football so he is elegible to be selected like anyother Solomon Islands’ player, but he should announce that he wants to play for national team again, but that doesn’t guarantee that he will be selected to the team“, said Felipe Vega-Arango, Solomon Islands national team head coach to Oceania Football Center.

“We needed to give to the Pacific Games’ authorities the provisional list; so 65 players actually are on the list“, stated the Spaniard – “All Solomon Islanders playing football at decent level are elegible to be on the team. Pacific Games organisation requirements are a list of possible players several months before competition, for screening and authorization purposes. To give chance to as many players as possible to be part of the team and counting the time to the competition and that all the players in the list are active and playing; injuries can happen so we need a big number list” explained Vega-Arango.

The coach that is his second stint in front of Solomon Islands national team also mentioned it was a misunderstanding to publish the list in social media: “We will not give the list away, it is only for the Pacific Games organisation and for SIFF references. It was a misunderstanding“, mentioned the head coach. An article stating Fa’arodo was back to the team had been posted on social media and hours later then deleted, making the football fans around the country confused with the news.

Fa’arodo, the all-time most capped player for Solomon Islands and also one of the most celebrated players, recently upped his level in New Zealand football as he joined Ngaruawahia United after a long-stint with Franklin United. Even being already 40 years old, the midfielder continues to be in great shape and is seen as one of the greatest additions for his new club in order to pursue promotion to Northern League in New Zealand.

Another historical names such as Benjamin Totori and Micah Lea’alafa were also mentioned in the list, although both players already had called time for his international duties. As explained by Vega-Arango, being in the list does not mean the players will be in the final 23-player-list for the Pacific Games, but if they are among the players in the provisional squad it means some chances are still there for the return of these local football legends to a final show at home.